ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Cabinet
Cabinet approves Policy to provide Purchase Preference  in all Public Sector Undertakings under Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for Policy to provide Purchase Preference  in all Public Sector Undertakings under Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
(The Policy will be applicable for five years. A steering committee will be constituted to oversee implementation of the Policy and carry out annual review and recommend continuation of the policy from year to year basis.
Under the Policy, the targets of Local Content  will be stipulated for certain oil and gas business activities. The manufacturers/ service providers who meet the local content targets and whose quoted price is within 10% of the lowest valid price bid would be eligible for purchase preference for a stipulated portion of the purchase order on matching such price.
The Policy is expected to encourage suppliers and service providers to progressively adopt 'Make in India' practices and add value to their goods and services within the country.
The Policy will apply to all the Public Sector Enterprises and their wholly owned subsidiaries, Joint Ventures that have 51% or more equity by one or more Public Sector Enterprises, attached and subordinate offices of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Background:
The ‘Make in India’ initiative was launched by Prime Minister in September, 2014 as part of a wider set of nation-building initiatives devised to transform India into a global design and manufacturing hub. In tune with this campaign, the Government has decided to incentivize the growth in local content in goods and services while implementing oil and gas projects in India through a policy for providing Purchase Preference to the manufacturers/ service providers who meet the local content targets in oil and gas business activities.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
PM lauds working of Farmer Producers Organization scheme in Maharashtra
Asks Medankarwadi Sarpanch to tap technology-enabled platforms
to benefit farmers and Self Help Groups
New Delhi, Mumbai, April 24, 2020
On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Diwas today, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held an interaction with sarpanchs across the country, via video conferencing.
Interacting with sarpanch Priyanka Ramdas Medankar of Medankarwadi, District Pune, the Prime Minister enquired about the well-being of the village residents and the arrangements being made to follow lockdown guidelines.
Sarpanch Smt. Medankar informed the Prime Minister that her Gram Panchayat had taken various proactive measures to contain the spread of hte pandemic. On the second day of the lockdown itself, i.e. on 26th March, 2020, an extensive sanitization drive of the entire village was carried out, using sodium hypochlorite. The Gram Panchayat has also erected two sanitization tunnels. Soaps and soap bars have been distributed to all households. The sarpanch informed that more than 5,000 masks were made in-house by Women's Self-Help Groups trained under Skill India program, and were distributed to people of the villages. She also informed that in order to reduce crowding, odd-even policy has been implemented for ration / grocery shops and vegetable stalls, making them function on alternate days. Further, the vegetables were delivered at the homes of people employing volunteers for the purpose. Every woman in the village has been given sanitary napkins, for their health and safety. Home quarantine facilities too were set up.
Expressing his satisfaction over the measures taken by Medankarwadi Gram Panchayat, the PM remarked that the Famer Producers Organizations  have been functioning well in Maharashtra, thereby bringing immense benefits to farmers. He asked the Sarpanch to utilize modern technology such as e-National Agriculture Market  – the pan-India electronic trading portal to help farmers get better prices for their produce. PM also prodded the Sarpanch to explore the possibility of selling the products made by Women Self Help Groups  directly to Government of India through the GeM .
Watch the interaction between the PM and the sarpanch below.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Elephant deaths by train accidentsshowing a declining trend
Due to concerted efforts taken by the Central and State Governments the elephant deaths by train accidents has been reducing in the recent years. This was stated by Shri Babul Supriyo,Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
A number of measures taken by Zonal Railways in coordination with Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change have resulted in saving of elephants. The preventive measures undertaken include the following:
- Imposition of permanent and temporary speed restrictions in identified elephant corridors.
- Provision of signage board to warn loco pilots about identified elephant corridors.
- Sensitization of train crew and Station Masters on a regular basis.
- Need based clearance of vegetation on the sides of track within railway land.
- Construction of underpasses and ramps for movement of elephants at identified locations. Work is in progress at one more location in East Central Railway.
- Installation of Honey Bee sound system to scare away the elephants from coming near the track.
- Provision of fencing at isolated locations both by Railway and Forest Department.
- Deputing Forest Department staff in Railway control offices to liaison with Railway and engagement of elephant trackers by Forest Department for timely action by alerting Station Masters and Loco Pilots.
- Frequent coordination meetings between State Forest Department and Railway department.
Earlier in an order dated 2.9.2014 in Writ Petition W.P.  No. 107 of 2013 Shakti Prasad Nayak Vs. Union of India &Ors. the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India had issued the following directions:
- Necessary steps should be taken by the Railways all over the country to reduce the speed limit of running trains that are passing through dense forests. In case a speed limit is not followed/ appropriate action should be taken against the erring drivers and officials concerned.
- Railways to take steps to discontinue the movement of goods trains at night between Siliguri and Alipurduar.
- Divert fast moving and night trains through Siliguri -Falakata route.
As per the information received from States, the number of elephants killed in train accident has been showing a declining trend.
The State-wise and year-wise details of elephant deaths due to train hits is as follows:
Elephant Casualties in Train Accidents from 2016-17 to 2018-19
|
|
S.No.
|
|
State
|
|
2016-17
|
|
2017-18
|
|
2018-19
|
|
1
|
|
Assam
|
|
10
|
|
10
|
|
2
|
|
2
|
|
West Bengal
|
|
3
|
|
2
|
|
6
|
|
3
|
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
2
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
4
|
|
Jharkhand
|
|
2
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
5
|
|
Kerala
|
|
2
|
|
0
|
|
1
|
|
6
|
|
Odisha
|
|
0
|
|
2
|
|
7
|
|
7
|
|
Tripura
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
NR
|
|
8
|
|
Uttarakhand
|
|
2
|
|
5
|
|
1
|
|
9
|
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
10
|
|
Karnataka
|
|
0
|
|
1
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
21
|
|
20
|
|
19
Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Government struck off 3,82,581 shell companies during last three years
The Government has undertaken a Special Drive for identification and strike off Shell Companies. Based on non-filing of Financial Statements  consecutively for two years or more, companies were identified and after following due process of law as provided under Section 248 of the Companies Act, 2013 read with the Companies  Rules, 2016, there are 3,82,581 number of Companies were struck off during the last three years. This was stated by Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
The term “Shell Company” is not defined under the Companies Act. It normally refers to a company without active business operation or significant assets, which in some cases are used for illegal purpose such as tax evasion, money laundering, obscuring ownership, benami properties etc. The Special Task Force set up by the Government to look into the issue of “Shell Companies” has inter-alia recommended the use of certain red flag indicators as alerts for identification of Shell Companies.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
‘Gokul Grams’ under Rashtriya Gokul Mission
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, under Rashtriya Gokul Mission has released funds for setting up of 16 “Gokul Grams” with the aim of conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds in a scientific and holistic manner.
Setting up of Biogas Plant was also included as one of the component under Gokul Grams and their performance evaluation has not been carried out. They have not been connected with the Gobardhan Yojana as the said scheme was not in place during the inception of Gokul Gram component under RGM.
Due to implementation of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission and other measures taken by Government of India milk production in the country has increased from 146.31Million Tonnes in 2014-15 to 220.78 Million in 2021-22 that is by 6.3% per annum during the last 8 years. Value of output of milk is more than Rs.9.32 lakh crore during 2021-22 which is the highest on all agriculture products and is even more than the combined value of Paddy and Wheat. The scheme is the playing an important role in enhancing milk production and productivity of bovines to meet the growing demand of milk and making dairying more remunerative to the rural farmers of the country. The scheme is leading to multiplication of elite animals of indigenous breeds and increased availability of indigenous stock.
This information was given by Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
PIB Headquarters
PIB’S BULLETIN ON COVID-19
|
|
- 170.21 cr vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
- India's Active caseload currently stands at 9,94,891
- Active cases stand at 2.35%
- Recovery Rate currently at 96.46%
- 1,80,456 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to 4,08,40,658
- 67,597 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours
- Daily positivity rate 
- Weekly Positivity Rate 
- 74.29 cr Total Tests conducted so far; 13,46,534 tests conducted in the last 24 hours
#Unite2FightCorona #IndiaFightsCorona
PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Income Limit Fixed For EWS
Persons who are not covered under the existing scheme of reservations for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and whose family has gross annual income below Rs.8.00 lakh are to be identified as EWSs for the benefit of reservation.
The annual family income. The same income limit has been adopted by the Government for determination of EWS beneficiaries.
The prescribed condition for determination of OBC candidates in Creamy layer and for determination of EWS candidates are entirely different except that in both cases the income limit of Rs.8.00 lakh per annum is prescribed.
This information was given by Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar in the Lok Sabha in a written reply today.
MG/DKP
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19
As per the announcement made under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, the launch of ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19’ has been approved with the following conditions:
- It will provide an insurance cover of Rs. 50 lakh for ninety  days to a total of around 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers, including community health workers, who may have to be in direct contact and care of COVID-19 patients and who may be at risk of being impacted by this. It will also include accidental loss of life on account of contracting COVID-19;
- On account of the unprecedented situation, private hospital staff/ retired/volunteer/ local urban bodies/contract/daily wage/ ad-hoc/outsourced staff requisitioned by States/ Central hospitals/autonomous hospitals of Central/States/UTs, AIIMS & INIs/ hospitals of Central Ministries can also be drafted for COVID-19 related responsibilities. These cases will also be covered subject to numbers indicated by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare;
- The insurance provided under this scheme would be over and above any other insurance cover being availed of by the beneficiary.
Ministry of Railways
Conversion of Passenger Compartments into Isolation Wards
5601 coaches have been converted into Covid Care Centers by Indian Railways  in the months of March, April, May and June of 2020 to combat Corona virus pandemic. The Zonal Railway wise details of the conversion of these coaches are as under:
|
|
S.No.
|
|
Zonal Railways
|
|
Coaches converted into isolation coaches
|
|
1
|
|
Central Railway
|
|
482
|
|
2
|
|
Eastern Railway
|
|
381
|
|
3
|
|
East Central Railway
|
|
269
|
|
4
|
|
East Coast Railway
|
|
262
|
|
5
|
|
Northern Railway
|
|
897
|
|
6
|
|
North Central Railway
|
|
141
|
|
7
|
|
North Eastern Railway
|
|
217
|
|
8
|
|
Northeast Frontier Railway
|
|
315
|
|
9
|
|
North Western Railway
|
|
266
|
|
10
|
|
Southern Railway
|
|
573
|
|
11
|
|
South Central Railway
|
|
486
|
|
12
|
|
South Eastern Railway
|
|
338
|
|
13
|
|
South East Central Railway
|
|
111
|
|
14
|
|
South Western Railway
|
|
320
|
|
15
|
|
Western Railway
|
|
410
|
|
16
|
|
West Central Railway
|
|
133
|
||
|
Total
|
|
5601
As per guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, these special train coaches are to be used by the State Governments only after they have exhausted their own medical facilities. As on date, 813 coaches have been provided by IR as requisitioned by the State Governments .
For conversion of these coaches into Covid Care Coaches, minor modifications like removal of middle berth and conversion of one toilet into shower room was carried out with provision of medical facilities and other items. The average cost of carrying out modifications and provision of medical facilities including oxygen cylinders and other items is approximately ₹60,000/- per coach. Average expenditure of approximately ₹7,000/- has been incurred per patient in the covid care coaches.
This information was given by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
Prime Minister's Office
PM's meeting with President of Bangladesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met H.E Mr Md. Abdul Hamid, President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh at noon today at Hyderabad House.
During the meeting, the leaders expressed great satisfaction at the excellent state of bilateral relations. The visiting President conveyed felicitations of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was unable to travel in person because of a prior commitment. He conveyed the invitation of the Government of Bangladesh to Prime Minister to visit that country, which was accepted with pleasure. The leaders agreed that dates would be decided through diplomatic channels.
Prime Minister Modi noted that the bilateral relationship, forged in Bangladesh’s War of Liberation, remained of the highest priority to India. In the past five years, the two countries had demonstrated great maturity and patience in resolving a number of complex pending issues, such as the demarcation of the Land Boundary. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of India and Bangladesh raising ties to a new level, as part of a joint effort to suitably commemorate the centenary of the birth of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman  and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Liberation, in 2021.
The President of Bangladesh was in India to attend the Swearing-in Ceremony of the new Government of India on May 30, 2019. The distinguished guest has earlier paid a State Visit to India in December 2014, as well as an official visit in March 2018, for the first meeting of the International Solar Alliance.
Ministry of Rural Development
Increase in MGNREGS Funds
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme  is a demand driven wage employment Scheme which provides for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. It provides livelihood security, i.e. fall back options for livelihood for the rural households, when no better employment opportunity is available.
The details of households demanded employment and households offered employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS in last two financial years 2020-2021, 2021-2022 and current financial year 2022-23  is given below:
|
|
Financial Year
|
|
2020-21
|
|
2021-22
|
|
2022-23
|
|
Households demanded employment 
|
|
8.55
|
|
8.06
|
|
6.90
|
|
Households offered employment 
|
|
8.54
|
|
8.02
|
|
6.89

The financial allocation under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS for financial year 2022-23 was Rs. 73,000 crore at Budget Estimate stage, which is enhanced to 89,400 crore at Revised Estimate stage.
There is a budget allocation of Rs. 60,000 crores at Budget Estimate stage for Mahatma Gandhi NREGS for financial year 2023-24.
Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is a demand-driven wage employment scheme. Funds release to States/UTs is a continuous process and Central Government is committed to making funds available to States/UTs for the implementation of the Scheme as per the demand for work on the ground.
The Ministry seeks additional funds under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS from the Ministry of Finance as and when required for meeting the demand for work on the ground.
This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Tourism
The NCHMCT unveils a portal of library and studies material to improve education, training and other research activities
Making online study resources available will go a long way in easing the availability of resources in the hospitality sector: Tourism Secretary
Key Highlights:
- The Board of NCHMCT also took decision to allow culinary colleges pass outs to sit in the NHTET tests which has been rolled out on the lines of UGC NET test for those who are interested in teaching career in hospitality institutes
The National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology , unveiled a portal of library and studies material on 8th December 2022 to augment the online availability of study resources for further improving education training and other research activities. NCHMCT is he apex national level body under Ministry of Tourism for imparting hospitality management course, through its more than 90 institutions across country.
Dedicating the portal to the nation during the Board meeting, the Chairman of the Council and Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Shri Arvind Singh stated that making these resources available in different formats such as written, audio, visuals will go a long way in easing the availability of resources in the hospitality sector. The CEO of the National Council, Shri Gyan Bhushan and other Board members and officials of the council were present during the occasion. The Board appreciated the initiative of the council for making this portal and arranging huge study material available for all semesters in different formats including video classes. During the Pandemic the council has started these initiatives and collected all resources and has ensured easily accessible digital portal.
The Board of NCHMCT also took decision to allow culinary colleges pass outs to sit in the NHTET tests which has been rolled out on the lines of UGC NET test for those who are interested in teaching career in hospitality institutes. This endeavour has been to keep the teaching standards in hospitality institutes at high level.
The post pandemic boom in the hospitality sector has been encouraging for the employability and availability of such opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector for pass outs from the Institute of Hotel Management under the umbrella of the NCHMCT. The new hotel and properties coming up in tier 2 and tier 3 cities by reputed group of hotel chains and augmentation of hiring in the other hospitality related sectors such as retail, hospitals, malls etc. are also encouraging aspects for prospective hotel management pass outs. After suffering during the pandemic, the upcoming academic session is fully geared to see higher interest in the hospitality and tourism as a preferred carrier choice. Accordingly, the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and its academic bodies NCHMCT, Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management  and Indian Culinary Institute  are aimed towards meeting this aspiration.
Ministry of Coal
Ministry of Coal Releases Discussion Paper on Auction of Coal Mines for Sale of Coal
Moving ahead after the recent amendments MMDR Act 1957 and the CMSP Act 2015,the Ministry of Coal is initiating the process for auction of coal mines for sale of coal.Expected to be held in multiple tranches, the first tranche is proposed to be launched in the current financial year. The Union Ministerfor Coal and Mines ShriPralhad Joshi said that this is a historic step towards Ease of Doing Business and democratization of coal and mining sectors.
A Discussion Paper containing the draft methodology and key bidding terms and conditions on the auction of coal mines for sale of coal has been uploaded on https://www.coal.nic.in/ and https://www.coal.nic.in/content/nominated-authority. A tentative list of mines along with mine-specific details are also provided at https://coalblock-is.cmpdi.co.in/pages/dashboard.php
The Ministry of Coalhas urged interested stakeholders to view the Discussion Paper and the mine specific details and submit their views/ suggestions, indicate their preferences for the mines to be considered for auction under the first tranche, as per the instructions provided in the Discussion Paper.
The Ordinance promulgated last week, amended the CM Act, 2015 and MMDR Act, 1957,whereby the restriction on prior experience in coal mining was removed thus enabling wider participation in auction of coal mines. Further, the Ordinance also enables auction of unexplored and partially explored coal blocks for mining through prospecting license-cum-mining Lease .These steps are expected to result in opening up of the coal sector completely for commercial mining to local as well as global firms. This would further boost economic growth and employment generation.
Ministry of Power
Power Minister and Railway Minister discuss measures to enhance efficiency in coal transport to power plants
Union Minister for Power Shri R.K Singh and Union Minister for Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw held a meeting here today to discuss short term and long term strategies for dealing with increasing power demand.
Power Secretary Shri Alok Kumar, Coal Secretary Shri A.K Jain and senior officials from Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Railways were present. Representatives from Coal and Power PSUs and states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra joined virtually.
Shri Singh urged all stakeholders at the Centre and state level to work hand in hand for unhindered power supply. He urged the Power Gencos to own freight rakes under the scheme of Ministry of Railways to deal with logistic constraints in coal supply. Issues discussed included increasing operational efficiency for loading and unloading of coal, increasing percentage of rakes allotment for Power sector, and other logistics issues.